conditioners for hay and haylage dr. dan undersander university of wisconsin
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Conditioners for Hay and Haylage
Dr. Dan Undersander
University of Wisconsin
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Mower Conditioner Options
Sickle Cutterbar - roll conditioner
Disk Cutterbar - roll conditioner
Disk Cutterbar - impeller conditioner
Cross Section of Crop Stem
Stems have a waxy surface called cutin
Conditioning should crack the stem surface for faster drying
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Conditioner width as percent of cutting width
0
20
40
60
80
100
100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
Cutting Width (in.)
Co
nd
itio
ne
r w
idth
(%
)
Maximum Swath Width
Conditioner Width
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Maximum swath width versus cutting width
0
20
40
60
80
100
100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
Cutting Width (in.)
Max
imu
m S
wat
h W
idth
(%
) Maximum Swath Width
Cutting Width
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Put hay into wide swath Keep off of ground
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Conditioned hay
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Conditioner types
Flail/impellers
Rubber Rolls
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Rollers vs flail (impeller) conditioners
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Roll and Impeller Comparison
Roll creates a crushing action Impeller creates a stripping action Impeller has greater capacity Impeller tends to have higher losses Roll with rotary mower will leave strips in light crops
(Limited air through rear of machine)
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Drying Rate Comparisons
Cutterbar Conditioner Drying Rate Sickle Roll +.2 hr(2nd)
Rotary Roll 0(1st)
Rotary Impeller +1.8 hr(3rd)
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Conditioner drying rates
Alfalfa Grass
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Conditioner field losses
Flail conditioners have 2 to 3 % higher field losses with alfalfa.
The loss is all leaves so forage quality is significantly reduced. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Weeks from early bud stage
ND
F (
% o
f D
M)
Stems
Leaves
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Adjust conditioner properly
Tension on rollers Spacing of rollers
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Adjust conditioner roller spacing
Measure clearance where “Crimp” or
smallest clearance occurs
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2007
Summary
Flail conditioner designed for grasses Faster drying for grasses Greater leaf loss with alfalfa
DM loss Forage Quality loss
Roll conditioner designed for alfalfa Faster drying for alfalfa
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